2008 Woodie Awards
Collegian editorial sparks national uproar
Editor will defend job to BSC
AARON HEDGE
Issue date: 9/24/07 Section: News
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After a Friday editorial on page four in the Collegian that said "Taser this … F---BUSH" sparked national uproar and controversy regarding free speech, Editor in Chief J. David McSwane will go before CSU's Board of Student Communications (BSC) Wednesday to defend his job. The expletive was spelled out about twice the size of a headline.
BSC has authority sanctioned by the Board of Governors of the CSU System to fire the editor in chief.
McSwane and the Collegian Editorial Board are standing by the decision.
"The Editorial Board felt very strongly that its time college students, especially CSU students, start talking about issues," he said. "We're zealots for freedom of speech and we felt that after Andrew Meyers on the University of Florida campus was pulled from his mic and abused … that we started getting people to talk."
But he added that the board didn't realize the full consequences of the decision.
"There were some unintended consequences," he said. "I think we've caused a lot of grief to the advisors and we've certainly affected our own advertising."
An undisclosed amount of Collegian advertising money has been lost since the editorial was printed.
McSwane said that the editorial wasn't about the president, but about freedom of speech.
"I think it's been blown a little bit out of proportion, it's been turned into more of a political issue," he said. "Historically our "Our Views" are not in favor of President Bush. Very often we slam him on that same section, so the issue wasn't what we said, it was how we said it. To us, it was a free speech issue."
The Collegian will not be suspended by the university.
CSU President Larry Penley issued a statement regarding the editorial that said while the university doesn't have the authority to halt printing of the publication, it expects deeper journalistic integrity from its student journalists and does not support the editorial.
"While student journalists enjoy all the privileges and protections of the First Amendment, they must also accept full responsibility for the choices they make," Penley said in the statement.
BSC has authority sanctioned by the Board of Governors of the CSU System to fire the editor in chief.
McSwane and the Collegian Editorial Board are standing by the decision.
"The Editorial Board felt very strongly that its time college students, especially CSU students, start talking about issues," he said. "We're zealots for freedom of speech and we felt that after Andrew Meyers on the University of Florida campus was pulled from his mic and abused … that we started getting people to talk."
But he added that the board didn't realize the full consequences of the decision.
"There were some unintended consequences," he said. "I think we've caused a lot of grief to the advisors and we've certainly affected our own advertising."
An undisclosed amount of Collegian advertising money has been lost since the editorial was printed.
McSwane said that the editorial wasn't about the president, but about freedom of speech.
"I think it's been blown a little bit out of proportion, it's been turned into more of a political issue," he said. "Historically our "Our Views" are not in favor of President Bush. Very often we slam him on that same section, so the issue wasn't what we said, it was how we said it. To us, it was a free speech issue."
The Collegian will not be suspended by the university.
CSU President Larry Penley issued a statement regarding the editorial that said while the university doesn't have the authority to halt printing of the publication, it expects deeper journalistic integrity from its student journalists and does not support the editorial.
"While student journalists enjoy all the privileges and protections of the First Amendment, they must also accept full responsibility for the choices they make," Penley said in the statement.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 205
Nick Paradise
posted 9/24/07 @ 12:18 AM MST
To the editorial department,
I am sure this will be one of many letters you receive in reaction to the very short editorial you wrote about President Bush. (Continued…)
Susan Smith
posted 9/24/07 @ 12:30 AM MST
Nick- WELL SAID. McSwane has caused a lot of hurt and annoyance for many people affiliated with CSU. I am glad you keep up with what is going on at CSU and it is greatly disappointing that McSwane thinks it is appropriate to publish such vulgarity. (Continued…)
Renee Markowski
posted 9/24/07 @ 1:20 AM MST
It's a real shame that good money is being wasted on educating the student editors of the Collegian, given that they lack both creativity and common sense. (Continued…)
Scott
posted 9/24/07 @ 1:24 AM MST
KEEP YOUR PERSONAL FEELINGS OUT OF YOUR REPORTING!
Paul
posted 9/24/07 @ 1:42 AM MST
Collegian, you've conditioned me to expect so little from you already. Inane articles about the dangers of sleep deprivation, or meningitis in the residence halls, eating disorders, binge drinking, or some other nonsense rehashed year after year. (Continued…)
Zack Girson
posted 9/24/07 @ 2:09 AM MST
"We have sections of our student plaza dedicated to this idea."
You must be new to this country. Let me be the first to say, "Welcome!" However, before you get too settled in, I feel compelled to remind you that CSU is in fact a public institution and, as such, the campus is subject to the first Amendment. (Continued…)
Zack Girson
Zack Girson
posted 9/24/07 @ 2:10 AM MST
"We have sections of our student plaza dedicated to this idea."
You must be new to this country. Let me be the first to say, "Welcome!" However, before you get too settled in, I feel compelled to remind you that CSU is in fact a public institution and, as such, the campus is subject to the first Amendment. (Continued…)
Zack Girson
Zack Girson
posted 9/24/07 @ 2:13 AM MST
Apologies for the double post. Moderators, please delete one.
Adam
posted 9/24/07 @ 2:51 AM MST
You fair-weather alums remind me of the controlling parent who disowns his/her children the second they do something that "reflects poorly" upon the family. (Continued…)
Anton Bursch
posted 9/24/07 @ 3:22 AM MST
The only thing of national importance that has and likely ever will be printed by The Rocky Mountain Colligian is Fuck Bush.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. (Continued…)
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